The present invention relates to a disk brake having a pad retaining clip and securing device. The invention also relates to a brake pad set for a disk brake of said type.
Brake pads of disk brakes, in particular pneumatic disk brakes, in vehicles, for example utility vehicles, are held in so-called pad slots by a pad retaining clip. In order that the pad retaining clip cannot be displaced out of its position by lateral forces in the vehicle, additional components are required which not only prevent a displacement of the retaining clip, in particular during operation, but also permit mounting and dismounting.
Said additional components include, for example, combinations of bolts and securing splints, spring elements and screws. After the insertion of the brake pads and mounting of the pad retaining clip, it may be the case that a technician thereafter forgets to attach the components for securing purposes. Securing of the pads is thus realized only for an indefinite length of time; the error is inevitably not obvious. In the worst case, the pad retaining clip may under some circumstances slip during operation and impair a securing action of the brake pads.
Numerous proposals have been made for such securing components and securing devices. One example, for illustration, is presented by document DE 102005045877 B3; a further example is described in document DE 202008013446 U1.
There is a constant demand for increased functional reliability during operation, lower production costs, easy installation and mounting, and shorter servicing times.
A disk brake according to the invention for a vehicle, in particular for a utility vehicle, includes a brake disk with a brake disk axis of rotation, a brake caliper, in particular a sliding caliper, with an application section and a rear section, at least two brake pads with in each case one pad rear plate equipped with a pad retaining spring, which brake pads are supported in each case under the preload of a pad retaining clip detachably fastened to the brake caliper. An application-side brake pad is assigned to the application section and a rear-side brake pad is assigned to the rear section. A securing device for securing the position of the pad retaining clip forms a detachable connection between the pad retaining clip and the pad rear plate of the rear-side brake pad. The securing device has at least one bracket element and at least one retainer. In an installed state of the pad retaining clip, in each case at least one section of the at least one bracket element is in engagement with at least one section of the retainer, and during the mounting/dismounting of the pad retaining clip the at least one section of the at least one bracket element is movable counter to a spring force of said at least one section or of at least one section, connected to said section, of the at least one bracket element.
The securing device offers the advantage that securing of the pad retaining clip against inadvertent release, for example during operation of the vehicle in which the disk brake is installed, automatically enters into engagement during mounting of the pad retaining clip, without the need for a tool or further mounting steps. Dismounting of the pad retaining clip however requires a tool, such that dismounting is possible only intentionally, and does not occur of its own accord. This is possible by virtue of the fact that the at least one section of the at least one bracket element is, during mounting/dismounting of the pad retaining clip, movable counter to a spring force of said at least one section or of at least one section, connected to said section, of the at least one bracket element.
In one embodiment, the retainer of the securing device is integrated into the pad rear plate of the rear-side brake pad. In this way, a number of parts is reduced.
It is provided here that the retainer has at least one opening through which the at least one section of the at least one bracket element extends and which, in the installed state of the pad retaining clip, is in engagement with the at least one section of the retainer. The opening makes it possible that the section of the bracket element, for example by use of suitable shaping, is automatically pushed downward counter to the spring force during the insertion, and, after passing through the opening, is pushed upward into engagement with the retainer by the spring force thus stressed. It is self-evidently also possible that the section of the bracket element can be pushed downward manually and/or using a tool for the purposes of being inserted into and through the opening.
In an alternative, the retainer of the securing device is formed as a clamp element and is attached to the pad rear plate of the rear-side brake pad. Said clamp element can be produced in lightweight form and inexpensively, for example as a punched/bent part.
In one embodiment, the retainer comprises a plate section, a face section with retaining section, and a side section, wherein the face section with the retaining section and the side section are attached to the plate section in a substantially right-angled manner so as to be parallel to and spaced apart from one another. The retainer is attached via a fastening surface of the side section to a rear surface of the rear-side pad rear plate. Here, the advantage consists in simple attachment to the rear surface of the pad carrier plate, for example by riveting or screwing. The retaining section interacts with a hook-shaped end section of the bracket element such that the hook-shaped end section enters into engagement in contact with a surface of the retaining section.
In an alternative embodiment, the retainer is formed as a clamp element and spring retainer for the pad retaining spring of the rear-side brake pad. A clamp element of said type is used, in a basic form, as a spring retainer and requires only minor modifications to form a suitable retainer. It is furthermore advantageous here that the production process only has to be slightly modified.
It is provided here that the retainer, as clamp element, comprises a plate section, face sections, at least one retaining section, a side section, and a lug section, wherein the face section with the at least one retaining section and the side section are attached to the plate section in a substantially right-angled manner so as to be parallel to and spaced apart from one another, wherein the lug section runs parallel to the plate section and extends through an opening of the pad rear plate and, after the mounting of the retainer on the pad rear plate, is fixedly connected to the face section. The retainer of the securing device is thus attached in a captively held manner to the pad rear plate.
In a further embodiment, the side section of the retainer extends at least partially through a passage opening of the rear-side pad retaining spring, wherein a partial section of the rear-side pad retaining spring is retained between the plate section of the retainer and the pad rear plate, whereby the spring retainer for the rear-side pad retaining spring is formed. The advantage of the additional function of a spring retainer is thus made possible.
A further embodiment provides that the at least one retaining section of the retainer has at least one opening through which the at least one section of the at least one bracket element extends and, in the installed state of the pad retaining clip, engages with the at least one retaining section of the retainer. The openings offer advantageous restraint of those sections of the bracket element which are in engagement with the retaining section, because the openings also restrict a lateral mobility of the sections of the bracket element, and thus make it additionally more difficult for the engagement to become released of its own accord.
In another embodiment, the retainer has a stop in a direction parallel to the brake disk axis of rotation, by which the retainer bears against the pad rear plate at least at one side. This is advantageous because, in this way, the retainer is greatly restricted in terms of a displacement movement in the direction of the brake disk axis of rotation.
For this purpose, the retainer may have a lug as a stop, the lug being attached to the plate section in a substantially right-angled manner and is arranged between the face section and the side section so as to be parallel to and spaced apart from these, wherein a web section of the pad rear plate is received between the lug of an inner side of the side section. The lug can thus be easily created during the production of the retainer, for example in one piece with the latter as a punched/bent part, and does not form an additional, separate component.
In an alternative, the stop of the retainer in a direction parallel to the brake disk axis of rotation may be formed by at least one lug which is attached to the at least one retaining section and which bears against a rear surface of the pad rear plate. Thus, at the same time, a spacing of the retaining section to the rear surface is realized, which spacing serves for receiving a hook-shaped end section of the bracket element, which rear surface is in engagement with the retaining section when the pad retaining clip is mounted.
In a further embodiment, an edge region of a bottom side of a central section of the plate section of the retainer is exposed by at least one recess which runs in the direction of the pad retaining spring. This yields the advantage that an edge of the pad retaining spring which, under the retainer, is in contact with the bottom side of the plate section, cannot damage said bottom side and/or the bent connections of the plate section to the sections attached to the longitudinal sides thereof. In this way, the service life of the retainer can be lengthened.
It is provided that the at least one bracket element is fastened to an end section of the pad retaining clip. This yields simple and fast engagement of the securing device during mounting of the pad retaining clip.
In one embodiment, the at least one section, which is in engagement with the at least one section of the retainer, of the at least one bracket element is formed as at least one resilient arm with a hook-shaped end section, wherein the hook-shaped end section is, in the installed state of the pad retaining clip, in engagement with the at least one section of the retainer. The hook-shaped end section yields, in conjunction with the resilient arm, the advantage of simple installation with simultaneous automatic assumption of the position of engagement of end section and retaining section.
For a simple fastening to the pad retaining clip, the bracket element may include a plate section to which the at least one resilient arm is attached, so as to run parallel to the plate section, by a face section, wherein the plate section, the face section and a section, running parallel to the plate section, of the at least one arm, form a receptacle for the end section of the pad retaining clip.
Alternatively, the bracket element may have at least one resilient arm with the hook-shaped end section, wherein the at least one resilient arm is attached with a section under the end section of the pad retaining clip. This advantageously saves material and space.
In a yet further embodiment, it is provided that the at least one resilient arm of the bracket element is connected to the hook-shaped end section by at least one cranked portion. The cranked portion may form advantageously additional engagement with the retaining section of the retainer. Furthermore, an adaptation to different installation situations and environments can thus be made possible.
For certain installation situations, it may be advantageous that the at least one resilient arm of the bracket element is connected to in each case at least one hook-shaped end section via a forked portion.
In another embodiment, the at least one resilient arm of the bracket element is equipped with at least one actuation section. This yields the advantage that, during a dismounting process, a release of the engagement by pressing against the spring force of the resilient arm is made easier.
A further embodiment provides that the retainer has two retaining sections, of which in each case one is attached to one side of a face section at right angles with respect to the face section and has in each case one opening which is in each case in engagement with a hook-shaped end section of the bracket element in the installed state of the pad retaining clip, wherein the bracket element is formed in the manner of a strip and includes a face section which is arranged in front of and fastened to the end section of the pad retaining clip. In each case one resilient arm with a hook-shaped end section is attached by a rounded face section to each side of the face section, wherein the end sections with the resilient arms for engagement with the respective opening of the associated retaining section are moved resiliently away from one another during the mounting of the pad retaining clip, and moved toward one another counter to the spring force of the resilient arms during the release of the engagement during dismounting of the pad retaining clip. Advantageously simple mounting/dismounting is thus made possible, because, during the release of the engagement, the resilient arms can be pushed toward one another even by hand, without the need for a tool.
In yet another embodiment, the plate section of the retainer forms the retaining section with the at least one opening, and the bracket element of the securing device is equipped with a plate section extending in a longitudinal direction and is fastened on a top side of the pad retaining clip centrally in the longitudinal direction. A downwardly bent resilient arm is attached to a front end of the plate section and extends through an opening of the pad retaining clip. The hook-shaped end section is integrally formed on the free end of the arm and is in engagement with the opening of the retainer. In this way, a range of use in particular in constricted structural spaces is permitted and enhanced.
It is provided that the bracket element is connected to the pad retaining clip by riveting, screwing, welding, clinching, stamping or the like. Rapid and also automated fastening of the bracket element to the pad retaining clip is thus possible.
A brake pad set for that which has been described above comprises the two brake pads on the respective pad rear plate, the associated pad retaining springs, the pad retaining clips and the securing device. Said components are coordinated with one another and permit simple and reliable mounting.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.